Alliance of International Doctors implemented workshops for the Syrian children for the first time. The association gave rehabilitation support to the orphan children due to the trauma they have lived in Syria.
In terms of the program, children in the orphanage were gathered at the trauma center, and the first therapy applied was “picture” and “deal”. Some of the children planted flowers around the center. The children also painted the exterior of the center, this offered the children an opportunity to develop manual skills.
It was observed that the children living joyous moments were happy.
AID President Mevlit Yurtseven, said they came to Syria to give rehabilitation support to the orphan children.
Yurtseven stated that the orphan children have not only lost their families, they are also away from home, “Here, the children have seen the loss of family, relatives, neighbours, they have lost their homes and many things. They lived the loss of their father extremely dramatic. Therefore, we thought that we should give more support to the children and started this program for the first time.”
Yurtseven expressed that three psychologists and three volunteers participated in the program, and also said:
“Here we have applied two methods of therapy, art and gardening. Our children have alternated with these therapies. Because our facilities are limited we only reached a limited number of orphan children, however, once our program is continuous, every week we will reach 60 or more children. We are here to be with the children, to be able to share something with them, to help them forget maybe a little bit of what they have lived and to also be able to help them gain the joy of living again.”
Yurtseven noted that they are aiming to prepare children for a normal life with these workshops. Psychologist Tuğba Öztürk said that the children recieve individual the apy services.
Öztürk explained that the preferred method of therapy is art therapy, and that they are planning to cometotheorphanageevery 15 days.
Öztürk emphasized that the children are severely traumatized, she said “Because of the war, children have very seuries. Many children have witnessed thrious inje loss of their fathers, brothers and relatives. This is why children have post traumatic stress disorder. To eliminate the effects of the painful conditions the children have faced is very hard. We are here to help the childrenand their mothers gain the joy of living again.”
Syrian Termim Kessar has fled from the conflict in Aleppo and is 12 years old now staying in Shemmarin container city.
Kessar thanked the team that has offered this opportunity and said, “I am happy to be in the trauma center. Here we draw pictures, play games. I love this place. We are having a really good time with our friends. It is so good that our older sisters from Turkey are here. Good thing they are supporting us.”